How do I exercise after child birth? 

I wonder how many times in any one week this has been googled by all new mum in my hometown of Basingstoke alone?

The one thing I think we can all agree on is once you give birth your body no longer feels like it is your own. In fact, I personally found as soon as I fell pregnant, all 5 times (2 miscarriages) I did not feel like my body was my own.

I could not wear what I wanted, drink what I wanted, I was exhausted, I felt stretched, itchy, huge, swollen, bloated and this is without listing all the other pregnancy ailments I experienced – that’s a whole other blog my love!

This thing is, I think we think that as soon as baby is out we will get our bodies back. We will feel human again and like we can “start work on myself again”.

Now if anyone has worked out how to do this then please come give me your secret because 3 kids in, 12 years and 6 months since I gave birth to my first, I am still not back to “me”.

My 3 squids have wrecked my body. I love them but my god they wrecked my body.

As any new or veteran mum will tell you, trying to get your body back and your brain functioning is an elusive mythical dream which is lost amongst sleepless nights, exhaustion, screaming children, sore nipples, dry skin, saggy stomachs and household jobs!

Don’t get me wrong, people do it. Only this week someone local popped up on my Insta feed with a picture of herself and baby. Cropped top, abs flashing, and guns flexed with the caption “9 months in, 9 months out” FUCK OFF LOVE!!

Yes, I am jealous, but you have 1 kid and youth on your side! – Fair play to her but can you tell I am nearing 40 & a tad bitter?

I think I speak for most new mums out there, even mums of older children, when I say that the thought of returning to exercise can be terrifying. From every single aspect, digging out the over stretched sports bra, finding some stomach holding in leggings, the intimidation of an over excited fitness instructor and praying your pelvic floor will hold…

Here are my top 7 tips for returning to exercise; realistic down to earth tips for any mum out there who is post birth & wants to get back to exercising to feel a little more like her again.

BEFORE I GO ON; a word on postnatal exercise!

Never attempt exercise accept light walking, or a specialised pelvic floor rehabilitation course until you are at least 6 weeks postnatal. I know its boring and you just want to get back to it.

Especially those gym bunnies and runners out there. But your body has just grown a baby, or 2 or 3, for Christ sake!!

A small human the size of a watermelon has just exited your body by one of 2 methods. Even if you had a perfect textbook pregnancy and birth, you are back in your jeans (I hate you 😉) and you didn’t break sweat… you owe it to your body to recover and rest for 6 weeks. You could risk now doing serious damage which will live with you for life.

I have clients aged 30 looking at bladder interventions and operations for weakness. Clients with wrist problems and ligament problems because they lifted weights too early.

Please wait until you are 6 weeks postnatal before exercising.

1. Take it easy.

As I may have mentioned above, a small watermelon has just exited your body! Even if you are a year down the line, you will always be postnatal. Much like a cardiac patient who has had heart surgery and recovered, they will always be a cardiac patient. If you have been pregnant and carried a child, you will always be postnatal.

If this is the first piece of exercise you have done in X amount of time take it easy. You may have been smashing out 10k before but now you will have to build it back up. You may have been the top scoring goal shooter in your netball squad last year but you are still going to have to build it back up.

If anything going back to exercise at a zillion miles an hour and then struggling with fitness, mindset and frustration will knock you back just as much as an injury.

Give yourself time.

If you are trying something brand new, start off easy, strip it back to basics. Think tortoise and the hare; you will build up far quicker the slower you go.

I promise. Years and years of PTing clients, teaching MummaBfit classes and personal setbacks has shown me this.

2. Find a someone who knows what they are doing.

You wouldn’t go to a basketball player and ask them to teach you to figure skate, you wouldn’t ask someone afraid of water to teach you to swim and you wouldn’t ask a plumber to perform brain surgery – ok so really extreme examples but the principle is the same.

Get someone fully qualified and experienced. I make no secrets that I when I started, I had a basic L3 qualification in postnatal exercise & after time I did not feel comfortable teaching it and instructing postnatal ladies. As time went on the complications and delicate bodies proved they needed specialised support and qualifications.

However since then, I have completed countless courses, hours of training, researched my field hard, watched educational videos, and attended lectures. I amd proud to say you are in supportive educated hands with me.

But sadly, I see a lot of PT’s with the basic L3 qualifications dishing out shit advise and not knowing the difference between a grade 1 and grade 3 prolapse. There are a lot of “influencers” giving advice, shit adverts on YouTube and well-meaning advice from mates or your milkman's cousin which will lead you to being a hop skip and a jump away from pissing yourself and leaving your core wide open to weakness. 

Make sure whoever you exercise with, club, fitness instructor, coach or PT they know, like REALLY know, what they are instructing. Not just after your money.

3. Get comfy workout kit.

I love that you used to wear skinny T's, crop tops, small shorts, a 2 piece to swim in or a skin hugging onesie to workout in but it might not be the right time  now to attempt to squeeze yourself back into it all. Perhaps now those pieces of clothing might not leave you feeling at your best… just yet!

For now find kit that leave you feeling powerful, confident and happy. If it’s a baggy T do it, a zip up hoodie, joggers or long leggings do it! High waisted leggings are a MUST for me and I like my sports bra compression TIGHT. I want no jiggles and nothing on show.

It’s a personal preference but dress in comfy clothing so you aren’t constantly pulling it out, up or down! You know what I mean!

4. Support them boobies

Did I mention I like my bobbies locked and loaded strapped down without a wiggle in sight!

Support is so important, the elasticity in the breast tissue is not something you can get back without surgery.

Postnatally your boobs will either have milk in them thus making them heavy, the remainder or the hormone relaxin from post milk production thus making them stretchy (takes 6 months to leave your body post breastfeeding) or they may be heavier through weight gain. Those puppies need support, even for the most minimal impact of exercises.

Fun Fact – during a run stride the force through the breasts increases to 3G, this basically means the breast will weigh 3 times its own weight. During a run the breast will move in a figure of 8 in and out of the ribcage.

Invest in your boobs, there are some good breast feeding sports bras out there and the chances you may be venturing to first exercise within your first 6 months of your postnatal recovery & your coach/instructor should be instructing you to avoid impact work - although there are some acceptations to the norm.

Either way, remove the pain; support them best you can; nipple pads n all! 

5. Take a friend.

Doing anything alone can be daunting so why not rope a friend in with you? A lot of new mums make friends at the local NCT group, play group, baby weigh in or from previous child rearing adventure so rope your friend in.

The changes are they would also jump at the chance and safety in numbers is sometimes the key to overcoming the anxiety of something new.

Or in classes like mine mums start chatting as soon as they walk into the room, you can normally get a vibe as too whether the thing you are going too is welcoming and friendly or each for their own hard-core competition!

6. Listen to your body.

An important one. Pain is not gain. Pain is not good. You don’t need to struggle and the exercise you are trying might just not be for you.

You know yourself if you are just having an off day or if it really isn’t for you. Don’t push through and add another thing to stress and struggle with. Give yourself a break.

Likewise not just physically; if you don’t gel with the group, don't like the instructor or aren’t really enjoying it then don't force yourself.

Most importantly still if it hurts, niggles, caused pain or aggravates an old injury then stop. Seek help, rest, get advice.

PAIN IS NOT GAIN!

7. Have fun!

My god you must have fun! I mean what is the fucking point if it makes you miserable? Honestly, have fun, laugh, giggle, smile your adherence and motivation with explode 10-fold if you enjoy what you do! This is the one thing I absolutely put before anything in class. FUN! I always make a tit of myself, we all laugh, we all smile, and we all pick each other up in class and change what could be a tragic day to a slightly better day with some laughter.

Honestly my mums in class are fucking awesome, if you are one of them reading this, I mean you. You make me smile, laugh and make

Are you local to Basingstoke and fancy trying a fucking awesome exercise class that finishes with cuppas, biscuits and putting the world to rights then my classes are for you! Honestly, my rave reviews speak for themselves, my mummas love it and I make sure my mums from 6 weeks postnatal right through to mummas of school kiddies are well looked after and loved the minuet they walk through the door! 

 www.mummaBfit.co.uk and click on one of the many links to claim your free week with us 😃